Nova Scotia premier revives campaign promise to fix health care at party AGM
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is reassuring his party faithful that he still intends to fix the province's health-care system at whatever cost it takes.
During his keynote address at the Progressive Conservative Annual General Meeting, Houston said Saturday he will make whatever financial investment is needed to turn the health crisis around.
The premier -- who campaigned on fixing Nova Scotia's struggling health care system before his August 2021 win -- says a lot of work is needed, "progress is too slow, and the stakes are very high."
Houston says his heart goes out to the families of a 67-year-old woman in Cape Breton and a 37-year-old woman in Amherst who died days apart in December after waiting for hours in regional emergency departments.
Houston's government announced a plan to improve emergency care following the two deaths, which included creating doctor-led triage teams to focus on admitting patients more quickly in ERs and assigning extra physician assistants and nurse practitioners to staff emergency departments.
Houston touted recent efforts to tackle the issue, which include adding more nursing student seats, creating mobile urgent and primary care clinics and signing an agreement for the creation of a digital medical record program.
He says the province is currently spending 41 cents of every dollar on health care, and he will spend "whatever it takes" to make the necessary change.
"Last month, I pulled healthcare leaders from across the province together, in person, to look one another in the eye," Houston said during his speech. "My message to them was direct: We need more. And we need to go faster. As for the cost, whatever it takes."
In order to improve the provincial system, he added, Nova Scotia needs increased support from the federal government.
The premier said such support could come in the form of financial contributions and by fast-tracking immigration for health care workers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2023.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.